ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, March 6, 1997 TAG: 9703060046
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-4 EDITION: METRO
TYPE: NEWS OBIT
SOURCE: FROM ASSOCIATED PRESS REPORTS
Roger Brown, who helped lead the Indiana Pacers to three American Basketball Association championships after being banned by the NBA, has died of liver cancer in Indianapolis. He was 54.
The NBA banned Brown after he was accused of associating with gambler Jack Molinas, who later was convicted of bribing players. A high school star in Brooklyn, N.Y., Brown never played a college game because of his association with Molinas. But he averaged 18 points in eight ABA seasons, and his 10,058 points still rank third in franchise history.
Brown was working the night shift at a General Motors factory in Dayton, Ohio, when the Pacers made him the first player they signed after beginning operations in the summer of 1967.
In other NBA news:
Ref pleads innocent: NBA referee Henry Armstrong pleaded innocent to charges of tax evasion for allegedly failing to pay taxes on money he saved by downgrading league-issued plane tickets. Two other referees face similar charges.
LENGTH: Short : 31 linesby CNB